Jacob h



(No Model.)

. J. H. OASSIDY & B. H. OLDFIELD.

TONGUE SUPPORT FOR VEHICLES.

No. 336,382. Patented Feb. 16, 1886.

N. PETERS. Fholwmhographar. Washingion, D, C.

JACOB H. CASSIDY AND BENJAMIN H.

arren.

ATENT OLDFIELD, OF LEAVENWORTH, KAN.

TONGUE-SUPPO RT FOR VEHICLES.

QPECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 336,382, dated February16. 1886,

Application filed November 9,1885.

To aZZ whont it may concern:

Be it known that we, JACOB H. CASSIDY and BENJAMIN H. OLDFIELD, citizensof the United States, residing at Leavenworth, in the county ofLeavenworth and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Tongue-Supports; and we do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, referencebeing had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification,and to the letters and figures of reference mark ed thereon.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a side elevation, partly in section, of therunning-gear of a vehicle with our invention applied thereto; Fig. 2, adetail viewin perspective ofour invention.

The presentinvention has relation to certain new and useful improvementsin tonguesupports for wagons and other vehicles; and it consists in thedetails of construction, substantially as shown in the drawings, andhereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, A repre sents the tongue of the vehicle,pivoted to the hounds B by transverse rod a. To the under side of thetongue A is connected the front end of a leaf-spring, 0, said endterminating in an eye, b, held between depending ears 0 on a hanger, D,secured to the under side of the tongue, a pin, (2, coupling the eye ofthe spring to the ears. The perforations in the ears 0 may be providedwith a lock-slot, and the pin with a feather, so that when the pin isturned to bring the feather away from line of the slot the pin will beprevented from coming out, and to remove the pin it is necessary to turnit until the feather thereon is on line with the slot.

Any suitable means may be employed for pivotally connecting the springat its front end to the under side of the tongue and thereto. We do notwish to be understood as limiting ourinvention to the means shown.Heretofore this spring was hooked at its end, to enter acorrespondingly-formed recess in a block; but such means did not possessthe advantages of a pivotal connection, and in contradistinction theretowe desire to cover any well-known means of pivoting the front end SerialNo. 182,269.

of the spring to the tongue.

(No model.)

To the under side or back of the spring C is secured an auxiliary leaf,6, so bent as to form a transverse eye, f, through which passes thehorizontal part of astirrup, E, and is held thereby to the spring, thusforming a pivotal connection between the two. The vertical arms of thestirrup E a portion of their length are screw-threaded, and terminate attheir ends in hooks g, to serve as handles. The screw-threaded portionof the stirrup E receives the nuts h, which are provided with fingers i,to hook over the transverse rod or, thus supporting the spring 0 at therequired height, and also the tongue A, the height being regulated oradjusted as circumstances require by means of the nuts.

\Vhen the tongue is raised and freed, the operator can take hold of thelarge hooks, which serve as handles, and can engage or disengage thefingers z from the rod a, as circumstances require. In the latter casethe spring can be lowered sufficiently to let the tongue drop down in ayard where there is stock.

After unhitching, or at an elevator-dump, the spring should be lowered,for if left up would chafe horses or break spring, or both, if the hindend of wagon should be lowered.

The free end of the spring 0 bears against the under side of the frontaxle, F, and, if preferred, a metal plate can be secured to theunderside of the axle for the end of the spring to bear against, thustaking the frictional wear off the axle.

In the employment of a leaf-spring in place of a plain spring greaterstrength is obtained at the center, where most needed, besides renderingit more perfect in its action. The connection of the stirrup E to thespring 0 by means of the auxiliary leafe avoids the necessity of makingholes in the spring, which greatly weakens it, and is liable to breakthrough the center or middle, where the hole is drilled.

The front end of the spring, being pivoted, can be adjusted should atongue be cut slanting on the bottom.

Having now fully described our invention, what we claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, isr In a tongue-support, a suitablespring piv- In testimony that we claim the above we oted at its frontend to the tongue of the vehave hereunto subscribed our names in the 10hicle, in combination with a stirrup pivoted presence of two Witnesses.

to the spring, terminating at its upper ends JACOB H. OASSIDY.

5 in suitable handles, and having adjusting-nuts BENJAMIN H. OLDFIELD.

carrying fingers, to hook over the transverse Witnesses: rod whichpivots the tongue, substantially as J. O. T. NIOKER,

and for the purpose set forth. J, W. LUSE.

